Wrinkle-busting Botox may be used to combat hay fever

Almost precisely a month ago we delivered some exciting news for 10 million hay fever sufferers in the UK and millions more around the globe when we reported how a new vaccine was in development that could directly hit the immune system, providing effective relief. This is on top of already currently available treatments such as Loratadine tablets, Nasonex nasal spray, Prevalin and Alomide allergy eye drops.

Now it seems that hay fever sufferers could be offered even more options to treat their symptoms, which occur when the immune system (the body’s defence system) overreacts to allergens, which in turn results in the release of histamine which in turn causes inflammation, itchy reddening or itchy eyes and sneezing. Although hay fever sufferers are worse hit during the spring and summer period, those who have allergic reactions to cats and dogs can find themselves in misery throughout the year when they come into contact with these animals.

The new treatment option bizarrely comes in the form of a Botox nasal gel remarkably, and now Australian scientists are currently preparing to carry out the first trial of its kind. Botox is mostly associated with celebrities who are willing to fork out thousands of pounds in their effort to beat the aging process. As well as a wrinkle-fighter, Botox may also be useful as a weapon against the inconvenient and troublesome symptoms of hay fever.

The Botox gel will be applied to the skin on your nose with the help of a cotton bud, where it will work by penetrating the skin to reach the nasal cavity. According to Philip Bardin, a professor at the Monash Medical Centre, the botulinum toxin could offer relief for hay fever sufferers by blocking nerve endings in the nasal passage, decreasing inflammation and preventing the onset of symptoms.

For the forthcoming study, Professor Bardin is optimistic about recruiting around 70 patients with hay fever and what is a common practice in these experiments; half of the subjects will receive the tested treatment (i.e. the Botox) and the other half will be given a placebo. The study is being initiated after preliminary trial earlier this year showed that the therapy does indeed provide relief from symptoms.

Here is what Professor Bardin had to say on the promising new treatment: “Botox works for three months and then its effects are broken down and the nerves regenerate. So if this works, maybe it’s gel into the nose every three months – or once a year for people who have seasonal allergic rhinitis – and, hopefully, no more sneezing.”

Dr Stephen Till from King’s College London, acknowledged the exciting breakthrough, saying: “This new vaccine is potentially applicable to far larger numbers than the existing one.”

However, the good news doesn’t end there. It seems even asthma sufferers could find themselves better off after a therapy of Botox. Professor Bardin has also released preliminary details of an experiment where a group of asthma patients with severe symptoms were injected with Botox into their larynx in an effort to alleviate muscle spasms. He claims that 80% of the asthma patients responded to the treatment and showed improve symptoms. The next step will be similar to the hay fever trial, involving a much bigger selection of patients, with both a Botox and placebo therapy being tested.

Of course, nobody knows for sure when or if Botox will be given the go-ahead for certified hay fever or asthma treatment as any potential health risks will have to be assessed first. In the meantime, Medical Specialists Pharmacy provides a huge range of products and medications to help both hay fever asthma sufferers, all at great prices. We have all of the previously mentioned hay fever treatments (Loratadine, Nasonex, Prevalin and Alomide), in addition to a huge range of asthma inhalers.

If you have already been prescribed an inhaler, have lost your inhaler, or run out and cannot get a prescription immediately, we are able to supply you an inhaler to help your asthma symptoms.   After undergoing a private and confidential online consultation with one of our Doctors, if you are suitable they will then write you a prescription which is passed to our in-house Pharmacists and dispensed to a location of your choice. This is all done discretely and within just 24 hours. We have both blue (relievers) inhalers such as Ventolin and Salbutamol, and brown (preventers) inhalers such as Qvar Beclomethasone and Qvar Easi-Breathe.